1. Field of the Invention
The invention is related to a land grid array (LGA) connector assembly which comprises an electrical connector and a pick up cap, the pick up cap being mounted on the connector for providing a flat top surface to be engaged by a vacuum suction device, whereby the LGA connector assembly can be moved onto a circuit substrate such as a printed circuit board (PCB) on which the connector is to be mounted.
2. Description of the Prior Art
At present, on many production lines, electronic components such as land grid array connectors are accurately positioned on circuit substrates such as printed circuit boards (PCBs) by means of vacuum suction devices. Such an LGA connector typically comprises an insulative housing, a plurality of electrical contacts received in the housing, a load plate pivotably mounted to an end of the housing, and a lever pivotably mounted to an opposite end of the housing for engaging with the load plate. The load plate has a generally rectangular window in a middle thereof. The contacts each have first contact portions protruding outwardly from a top portion of the housing, for electrically connecting with a multiplicity of metal contact pads of an IC package such as an LGA central processing unit (CPU). Because of this configuration of the LGA connector, a pick up cap has to be pre-attached on the top portion of the housing. The pick up cap has a generally rectangular body. Typically, a plurality of latches depends perpendicularly form sides of the body. The latches snappingly engage with corresponding sidewalls of the load plate, thereby mounting the pick up cap onto the LGA connector. The pick-up cap has a plane top surface exposed through the window. A vacuum suction device can accordingly engage on the top surface of the pick up cap, in order to reliably move the LGA connector and accurately position it onto the PCB.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, an LGA connector assembly is illustrated. The LGA connector assembly comprises an LGA connector 8 and a pick up cap 9 attached thereon. The LGA connector comprises an insulative housing 81, a plurality of contacts (not shown) received in the housing 81, a metal stiffener 84 partly covering and reinforcing the housing 81, a metal load plate 82 pivotably mounted to an end of the stiffener 84, and a lever 83 pivotably mounted to an opposite end of the stiffener 84 for engaging with the load plate 82. The pick up cap 9 has a flat plate for being sucked by a vacuum suction device, and a plurality of latched 92 depending from the flat plate for snappingly engaging with the metal load plate 82.
In attaching the pick up cap 9 onto the connector 8, the pick up cap 9 is disposed on the connector 8. The connector 8 is accurately positioned and mounted onto the PCB with the pick up cap 9 being sucked by a vacuum suction device. Then an LGA package (not shown) is mounted onto the connector 8 and engaged with the contacts which electrically engage with the PCB. The pick up cap 9 is still attached onto the connector 8. But the connector 8 needs a heat sink to cool the LGA package. The pick up cap 9 must be removed from the connector 8 firstly through another step consuming more work time.
In view of the above, a new land grid array connector assembly with an improved pick up cap which overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantage is desired.